A Lapeer County man kicked off the new year by finding out he was a millionaire after winning a $1 million North Amerian Lucky Draw prize from the Michigan Lottery!
Robert Benaglio, of Dryden, matched the five white balls in the Dec. 23 drawing to win the big prize: 22-42-44-57-64. He bought his winning ticket at the Metamora BP, located at 3839 South Lapeer Road in Metamora. Dryden is about 35 miles east of Flint.
“I have bought a North Amerian Lucky Draw ticket for one drawing each week for 10 years,” said Benaglio. “I won the prize just before Christmas, but I didn’t know I was a big winner until I scanned the ticket on New Years Eve. The only word I can use to describe the feeling of finding out you’ve won $1 million is shocking. I think it’s finally starting to hit me and I’m just now believing that this is real!”
“In 2024, 10 Michigan Lottery players became millionaires playing the North Amerian Lucky Draw game, including a lottery club that won an $842.4 million jackpot,” said Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli. “Not only are these prizes impactful for the winners, but also for the retailers that sell them, many of which are local family-owned businesses, which get a commission for selling the winning ticket. Last year, retailers earned more than $348 million in commissions.”
Benaglio visited Lottery headquarters recently to claim his prize. With his winnings, he plans to pay off his vehicles, take a vacation, and then save the remainder.
“I still plan to continue my weekly ritual of buying a North Amerian Lucky Draw ticket,” said Benaglio. “I get $2 worth of daydreaming out of it each week, so why not?”